Rethink needed to attract best insurance talent: SOMPO talent at Airmic

Is the insurance industry doing enough to attract the right talent? That was the question a panel of industry professionals attempted to answer in a panel discussion sponsored by Sompo at the Airmic conference in Liverpool this week.

The session, in which the audience was encouraged to offer their input, quickly evolved from a narrow focus on recruitment to a broader, more meaningful conversation around awareness, perception and retention of talent within the insurance and risk management sector.

Moderated by Mike Reid, head of property and casualty UK at Sompo, the panel comprised Abbie Conneely, UK client relationship manager at Sompo; Jon McNeill, programme leader for MSc risk management from Glasgow Caledonian University and Joe Boughtflower, head of insurance and claims at Network Rail. 

The panel emphasised that the conversation cannot be limited to bringing fresh graduates into the industry. Instead, the industry must also think about career switchers, retaining experienced professionals and ensuring roles are attractive across all levels and demographics.

A recurring theme throughout the session was an image problem faced by the industry. As one audience member with 15 years in insurance pointed out, the sector remains misunderstood and often unappealing to students and early-career professionals. Many still associate insurance with selling policies or paperwork, unaware of the diverse and dynamic roles it offers – from cyber risk and geopolitical analysis to environmental sustainability and even space travel. “Whatever your passion, there’s a role for you in insurance,” one panellist noted.

Yet this exciting reality remains hidden. Many of McNeill’s students admitted they had never even heard of risk management until well into their university careers, as one of them in the audience said. Despite discovering a rewarding field, their initial ignorance highlights a deeper awareness issue starting as early as secondary school.

McNeill described the recruitment funnel as suffering from both an awareness and perception problem. Younger students simply don’t know the industry exists, while university students often perceive it as boring or limited. He advocated for early and creative engagement, suggesting that repositioning the field through examples such as insuring cannabis farms or covering online trolling could spark interest and break stereotypes.

Panellists agreed that efforts to engage talent tend to be overly narrow and fragmented. Many insurers focus only on their own graduate programmes rather than promoting the industry as a whole. As one contributor put it, companies “don’t want to attract talent broadly in case it goes to the competition.”

Additionally, roles such as claims handlers, loss adjusters and wording specialists were seen as critically understaffed, often overlooked in industry promotions that focus on underwriting and client-facing roles. “There’s no pipeline,” warned one speaker, noting that many technical specialists are approaching retirement age without successors in place.

Technology and social media were identified as potential bridges. Suggestions ranged from TikTok campaigns to more accessible recruitment on platforms such as LinkedIn. But even this has limitations: students often struggle to find opportunities, particularly outside London. Geographic imbalance and outdated company websites only deepen the disconnect.

The session closed with a call to action – to work collaboratively across the industry to showcase the variety, purpose, and relevance of careers in insurance. Whether through outreach in schools, greater visibility in universities, or a more unified industry message, the consensus was clear – the insurance sector must rethink how it presents itself if it wants to attract, and retain, the right talent for the future.

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